MANHATTAN, Kan. – Three Kansas State players – offensive linemen B.J. Finney and Cody Whitehair, and defensive end Ryan Mueller – were named to watch lists for awards announced by the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) on Thursday.

Finney and Whitehair were named to the watch list for the Outland Trophy, presented to the nation’s most outstanding interior lineman, while Mueller is a candidate for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, presented to the nation’s most outstanding defensive player.

This marks the second-straight season that Finney is a candidate for the Outland Trophy, while he was also named to the watch list for the 2014 Rimington Award on Tuesday. K-State is one of four teams to place multiple players on the Outland Trophy watch list. Mueller is a first-time candidate for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy and picked up his third preseason honor as he is also a candidate for the Bednarik Award and the Lott IMPACT Trophy. The Leawood, Kansas, also registered K-State’s sixth candidacy for the Nagurski Trophy in the last four years.

The watch list for the 2014 Outland Trophy includes 64 players across the country, including nine from the Big 12, while the 2014 Bronko Nagurski Trophy watch list is comprised of 81 total players and 13 from the Big 12.

Finney and Whitehair started all 13 games in 2013 at center and left guard, respectively. They helped the Wildcats average 35.9 points per game and 404.7 yards per game during the final seven contests of the year in which K-State tallied a 6-1 record. Both Kansas natives, Finney and Whitehair earned All-Big 12 status a year ago as Finney, a product of Andale, was a first-team honoree, and Whitehair, from Abilene, picked up second-team honors.

The 2013 Big 12 Defensive Lineman of the Year, Mueller tied the school record in sacks with 11.5, a figure that ranked second in the Big 12 and eighth nationally. His total included a school-record tying three sacks at Texas Tech as he picked up Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week accolades, while he also earned the honor following the Iowa State game by totaling seven tackles with 2.5 sacks.

The Wildcats kick off the 2014 season with an August 30, matchup against Stephen F. Austin at Bill Snyder Family Stadium. The sixth-annual K-State Family Reunion will begin at 6:10 p.m., and be shown world-wide on K-StateHD.TV.

Season tickets for the 2014 campaign sold out on June 5, while only a small number of scattered singles remain for games against Texas Tech (Oct. 4), Texas (Oct. 25) and Oklahoma State (Nov. 1). Standing-room only tickets are available for the Stephen F. Austin, UTEP, Texas, Oklahoma State and Kansas contests.

Visiting teams will also have opportunities to return unused tickets up to a month prior to their visit. Stay tuned to www.kstatesports.com for information regarding returned ticket availability. All returned tickets will be sold at the full public rate and season ticket wait list accounts will have first opportunity to purchase. Fans can now join the 2015 waiting list online or by contacting the K-State Athletics Ticket Office at 1-800-221-CATS or by visiting www.k-statesports.com/tickets.